"I know you're the one. I can feel it…Apollo!"
"…"
"…"
Artemis chortled softly as she saw the somewhat confused and slightly curious look on Alex's face.
"You have always been a good actor, Apollo. But I'm afraid your little game is now over." Artemis said, "No disguise you use or how much you try to hide, I can always find you."
"…"
Alex's expression was still the same; blank and confused.
"Excuse me ma'am. I think you've got the wrong person here." Alex managed to say. "I'm not…Apollo."
Artemis didn't shift her gaze from Alex. Even though she was this close to him, his aura was still weak. The last time she felt his energy this weak was when Zeus turned him into mortal, did…
"Did you do this to yourself? Do you taking away your immortality would hide you from father's wrath?"
"Look here missy; I don't know you from anywhere." Alex said and looked around. He didn't like the fact that she was mistaking him for someone else; that was one of the things he hated the most.
"Look here Apollo. You have joked around for too long. It's time for you to return home!" Artemis snapped her fingers and a wind from nowhere gathered and blew past them. The wind blew all the Shadow Ninjas away and there was even possibility that most of them would die or end up with broken joints. But Alex and Dylan? They were completely unaffected; the wind only passed through them and the only effect it had on them was the tiny fluttering of their hairs.
Artemis blinked a couple of times but didn't stay dazed for long. Her resolves that this was really Apollo increased and she attained a battle stance. Of course, she wouldn't be expecting him to just give up like that.
"…"
Alex could only look at Dylan who for some reasons, even in this situation had his eyes closed and a very serious expression on his face. Alex looked back at Artemis who still hadn't done anything.
Should he fight back? But judging from the show of power she just demonstrated, her power was enough to squash him like an ant. After all, she had just trounced all the Shadow Ninjas when He and Dylan couldn't even beat a single one.
Once again Artemis unleashed a very frightening force that shook the earth and raised a mountain of dust. But when the dust cleared, Apart from him tapping his companion to blow away the sand particles in his eyes, Artemis didn't notice any other effect from him.
Artemis was a little bit surprised. The move she just used was enough to crush many minor gods and yet the two of them were completely unaffected. Artemis was a little curious about his companion who was just standing there with his eyes closed, but since he hadn't interfered so far, she just thought to ignore him. After all, gods rarely interfered with each other's business.
Artemis once again raised her hands and giant ice chains rose from nowhere. She pointed at Alex and the chains flew at his with great speed. Alex would have tried to dodge or block…if only he knew that Artemis attacked him. But just like every of her attacks, the ice chains only passed through him like he was an illusion.
After Artemis saw this, she became a little bit more cautious. She didn't understand why every of her attacks didn't have any effect on him. Was he so powerful than he could just nullify…no.
Artemis shook the thought off. Even Zeus would have somewhat of a reaction. So what trick was he using…?
Was it possible that he really was just a mortal? Thinking about that, Artemis flicked her fingers and a silver blade shot out.
Alex quickly used his sword to parry the blade but the force pushed him backward. Alex gritted his teeth as he tried to deflect the blade but the force kept pushing him back. Alex looked at Dylan for help but Dylan's eyes were still shut tight.
"Hey man, I need help here!" Alex shouted but Dylan remained unresponsive. Realizing he was all alone without help, Alex summoned all his strength and managed to deflect the blade but still it left a scratch on his cheek and Drew out blood.
Huff! Huff! Huff!
Alex panted hard and almost fell to his knee from exhaustion. He looked at Artemis who expecting her to attack but she just stood in the same place and studied him. Her eyes pierced through Alex as she looked to see any slip up…but there weren't.
Now Artemis knew why all her attacks apart from this one weren't having any effect. That was because he really wasn't Apollo; just a mortal.
All of the attacks she used against him were mainly targeted at his spiritual essence. And there were only two reasons why it would have no effect against him. Either he was too strong…or too weak that his spiritual essence hadn't even developed.
And that made her target his physical essence in the last attack. And now seeing him hurt, she was sure of it. He wasn't Apollo.
But Artemis was still confused about something. Something still didn't seem right to her.
"Why?" She wondered. "Why does this mortal bear the Mark of Phoebus?"
- - - -
"PHEW! At last little man you can finally rest now." Harry breathed out a sigh of utmost relief. He patted the front of his pants, petting his 'little brother' that had been eerily gentle for the past hours.
Normally, it would have been rocking hard being around so many beautiful girls all wearing slightly revealing dresses, but with Melissa's threats and Tom's wails, it had remained as soft as overcooked spaghetti.
"Yeah, thank you…" Bab waved his hand in the air. "Although I don't really fancy the idea of calling me little,"
Harry's eyes squinted. "Who was talking to you?"
The group of five was currently in a restaurant in the city. It was a good thing they were the only customers there, if not the owner would have stoned them out. Well, they had the whole restaurant to themselves since it was just six in the morning.
"Man, who knew our creepy brother here was actually right?" Harry gave up on Bab and moved closer to Dylan. "The facility was actually using us and they'll probably just kill us off later on…"
"Or turn us to monsters." Bab added. "Like your girlfriend."
Harry's lips pulsed as he rolled his eyes.
"I think it's time for us to leave, Alex."
Everyone stopped and looked at Dylan.
"What we said about Alex's mum being kidnapped was actually true." Dylan just shrugged.
"Shit. We forgot! Come on now, let's get moving."
"We're…going alone!" Dylan looked Harry straight in the eye.
Harry's high shoulders slumped after hearing this. "Come on man, you can't do this to us, we're your friends."
"None of you are my friend. We've only known each other for about…" Dylan paused and counted with his fingers spread. "Twenty hours or so,"
Harry slumped on his seat. "Ah, that's right. But it feels so long -."
"So where can we find you?" Harry had always found it hard to argue with Dylan. Heck, everybody did. "So, you know, maybe we can meet again after you're done with your stuff?"
"The lesser you know, the lesser the danger you put yourself in." Dylan quoted the words of a certain someone. And a few minutes later, both he and Alex were gone.
After the duo left, the mood of the rest became somber. Then Bab stood up.
"Well, that means I'll have to visit my family." Bab said. "It was great spending time you lots."
Bab then placed his hands on his waist and looked up. "If only my white princess agreed to my proposal then I would have taken her back as my wife."
As for the person he was calling his white princess, it was none other than Melissa.
"Just fuck off. Your presence irritates me!"
Harry waved Bab out of the restaurant before he and Kate looked at each other and gave out a collective sigh.
"There's something special about those two."
"Isn't that obvious?"
* * * TO BE CONTINUEDD * * *